Plunger for pinball machines



April 9, 1947. N. R. GLASS 2,419,770

PLUNGER FOR PIN BALL MACHINES Filed May 24, 1945- 3 Sheets-Sheet l 0% way ND INVEN TOR. 1) (722177217? 67a.

ATTORNEYS pr 1947. N. R. GLASS PLUNGER FOR PIN BALL MACHINES Filed May 24, 1945 3 "Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORE. Ml/mm? Glam ATI'D RN EYB April 29, 1947. N. R. GLASS PLUNGER FOR PIN BALL MACHINES Filed May 24, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 side of the cross "member Patented A r. 29, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIEE :PIJUNGERZ'EOR PINBALLM-ACHINES 1 Nathan R. 'IGlass, Philadelphia, Pa. Application May 24, 1945,-Serial No. 5595,61

4 Claims.

This I invention relates"to anzimproved plunger forapin ballmachine and braking means there- -fol'.

The primary object ofthis invention iStOjPI'O- vide a plunger that is'to cal'ly rather than horizontally positioned. in'the usual manner.

Another objectof the invention is to .provide *a'plunger having means coactingtherewith which v will retard-orslow down: the return of the plung- -er afterit has 'beensplaced in playing; position and released.

- With the above "and other obj eats-and. advantages-inview the present invention resides .in the,

novel features of' construction, formation combination and arrangement ofvparts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed andillustrated in the accompanying 'drawingsforming a part of the present application, and in which:

-Fig.= 1 isa front view of an embodiment ofthe invention.

-Fig. 2 is asectional 'viewnon theline 2-2 of Fig. 1.

- Fig. 3 is a sectional-viewion theline 3- 3 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a modification'oi the invention.

- Fig-'5 isa sectional viewr-on theline, 5--5 of Fig.4.

-Fig. 6 is a sectional view. on the line-B-.-6 of Fig. 4:.

Fig. 7 is a detailed bottomview of the actuator. Fig; 8 is'aside view-lofthe braking mechanism f or the plunger.

Fig. 9 is a-topplanview thereof with the plunger shown in section, and

Fig; 10 is a sectional view on the line ill-60 ol Fig. 9.

Referring moreuin detail to. the drawings .the

' numeral designates the ball run of. the pin *ballmachine and-1122' the front .of...the, abinet thereoi.

The plun'ger 24 is mounted in a verticalreciprocating position by means of adepen'ding U- shaped bracket-26 which hasthe' cross member 28 apertured to receivethe plunger andthe uprights 30 bent at right angles thereto at '32 to be secured to the ball run 20 "by fastening means 34. The plunger 24 is provided on onethreaded end with a complementary striking tip"36 and on the other end with a knob "38 having a circular rim Interposed between the :knob"'38 and the outer '28 of ithe U ishaped :be used. for-a; pinball v -=machine wherein the playing surface1is .verti- ABwhich is retained in placebyc a cotter ,ky. 48

which extends transversely of g the Pl nger 24.

.Thespringt ld gives the necessary impetus to the ,plunger ,24 .to drive the pin ball upwardly along the ball run 20.

Secured to the uprights. 30 by any welleknown means isva U-fshaped plunger guide :49 the cross member of which is apertured to slidably receive ..and guide the plunger 24.

"The plunger 24 being mounted within the interior of the pin ball machine, .it is necessary to have means for actuating the vplunger placedon the outside of the pin ball machineior operation of the plunger byjthe player.

The operation of this actuating means will now be described.

Mounted forinsertion into. an opening 50 in the front 22, of the pin ball machine isa circular front bushing plate 52 having anopening 54 therein to rotatably receive the handle l control 7 rod 56, the plate" 52 being fastened tothefront 22 by fastening means 58.

QSecured on the outer endof the rod 56in con- .tact Withtherfront of the plate' 52 is a handle 50 having, a grip portion 62 and a circular apertured portion 64 to receivetherod 56,'the handie 60 being spot welded to'the rod 56 as shown. Stops 66 struck, out of the front of the plate 52 limit the downward and upward net'i'on of l the handle 60.

The rod 56 is prevented from longitudinal movement within the opening 54by ineansjof a cotter pin 68 contacting a washerfill which contacts the inner end of the plate 52.

The inner end of the rod. 56 has a reduced squared portion 12 to receive the apertured end of plunger control bar 14 which i retained on the portion'll by iastening means '16 entering the internally threaded bore of the squaredportion 12 and awasher I8. w

The bar l4. and handle B0,,e tend, in opposite directions and at right angles to. the rod but 7 they are so positioned thatthey li in the same horizontal plane with respect to each other and they are maintained in this position. with the handle contacting the lower stop by means of a coil spring ,Bllv one end of vwhich is secured to the plate 52 by a screw 82 and the other end ,of. which issecured to therod 55 by a screw.

The opposite end of the bar 14 has a reduced portion 86 which is adapted to be received in the bifurcated portion 88 of the plunger contacting member 90 which is pivotally mounted on the portion 86 by a pin 92.

The top of the member 90 extends rearwardly of the bifurcated portion 88 and has an upturned end 94 which is adapted to receive an end of the coil spring 96 the other end being secured to the bar 14 by a screw 98. This spring keeps the member 90 in raised position as shown until the plunger knob 33 has been released when it is depressed by contact with the rim 40 until it returns to its normal position again ready for p ay.

It will be obvious that when the handle 68 is moved upward the plunger 24 will be depressed until the member so which contacts the rim 40 loses contact therewith when the plunger 24 will be impelled forward by the action of spring 44 and the pin ball will be put into play. When the handle 60 is moved downward the member 90 will be depressed and will return to its normal position in contact with the rim 4!! and the machine will be ready for replay.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 to '7, inclusive, the plunger 24 is mounted as previously explained for Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

The actuating means for the plunger comprises a handle I which extends beyond the front of the cabinet 22 and is provided with an upturned end I02 on which is positioned the knob I04. The handle I08 is pivotally mounted between depending brackets I06 by a pivot pin I08 and the upper ends III! of the brackets I06 are turned at right angles thereto and fastened to the front 22 by screws H2.

The lower ends of the brackets I06 are reduced as shown and bent inwardly at I I4 to act as stops for the handle I 60. The handle I00 being retained in a horizontal position by means of a coil spring II6, one end of which is received in an opening H8 in the handle I00, the other end of which is secured to the pin ball machin by a screw I20.

Adapted for contacting relation with the handle I80 is a plunger control bar I22 which is pivotally mounted between depending brackets I24 the upper ends I26 of which are bent at right angles secured to the front 22 by screws I28, the bar I22 being pivotally mounted therebetween by means of the pivot pin I36.

As are the ends of the brackets I 66 formed so are the ends I32 of the brackets I24 formed, and act as stops for the bar I22. As in the case of the handle I60, the bar I 22 is kept in a horizontal position in contact with the handle I60 by means of a coil spring I34, one end of which is secured to the front '22 by a screw I36, the other end of which is received by a pin I38 in the side of the bar I22.

Pivotally mounted by means of a pivot pin I40 on the bar I22 is the plunger contacting member I42 which contacts the rim 40 of the plunger knob 38.

Th member I42 is kept in contact with the rim 46 of the plunger knob 38 by means of a coil spring I44 one end of which is received in the opening I46 in the member I42, the other end of which is received by a pin I48 in the bar I22. A stop I50 provided .on the bar I22 prevents the spring I44 from returning the member I42 out of line with the rim 40 of the plunger knob 38.

It will be obvious that when the handle IUD is depressed the bar I22 will be forced upward depressing the member I42 which in turn will depress the plunger 24 until th member I 42 loses contact with the rim 40 when the plunger 24 will be impelled forward by the action of the spring 44 and the pin ball will be put into play. When the handle I00 is moved upward the bar I22 will move downward returning the member I-42 to its normal position in contact with the rim 40, the member I42 will be depressed as it passes the rim 40 so that it will return and the machine will again be ready for play.

In Figures 8 to 10 inclusive, there is shown a braking or retarding mechanism I52 for the plunger 24 which is mounted as previously described, and in like manner this mechanism is controlled from the front 22 of the pin ball machine.

In order to accommodate the braking mechanism I52 the plunger guide 49 is provided with an elongated portion I54 which is formed integral with the cross member of the guide 49 and extends at right angles to the plunger 24. 'The portion I54 i aperturcd to receive the knurled headed screw I56 therein.

Provided for reciprocal engagement with the portion I54 is the brake member I58, one end of which is recessed at I68 to conform to the shape of the plunger 24 the other end of which is apertured to receive a pin I62 by which the handle I64 i connected thereto. The free end of the handle I66 being screw threaded to receive the adjusting knurled nut I68.

The brake member I 58 lies in face to face relation with the portion I54 and reciprocal movement of the member I58 is permitted by an elongated longitudinal slot I18 through which the screw I56 passes, and maintains the portion I 54, and brake member I58 in position.

A coil spring I12 which urges the brake member I58 forward in contact with the plunger 24 has one end secured to the portion I54 by a screw I14 and the other end is secured to the brake member I58 byascrew I16.

Thus by adjusting the screw I56 and the nut I68 the amount of pressure upon the plunger 24 can be adjusted by the player.

If no braking effect is desired, the nut I66 can be turned until there is no pressure on the plunger 24. If however the player decides to use the braking mechanism I52 he can control it by permitting full pressure on the plunger and pulling the nut I66 outward as he desires to obtain the desired braking ellect.

It will be apparent that there has been provided a plunger control mechanism that will permit actuation of a vertical plunger and also means have been provided for retarding the upward movement of the plunger, and that changes and modifications may be made in the arrangements, combination and proportion of the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or extending beyond the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described for controlling the forward movement of a vertical pin ball plunger comprising a knob on the outer end of said plunger, a rim on said knob, a pivotal lever contacting the-rim on the knob on the plunger and adapted to retract the plunger by means of a handle positioned on the front of the pin ball machine.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a vertical pin ball machine plunger, a knob on the outer end of said plunger, a rim on said knob, a control bar pivotally mounted at right angles to said plunger, a control rod pivotally mounted on said bar at right angles to said bar and engaging the rim of the knob at its forward free-end and a handle for controlling said bar pivotally mounted for engagement with one end of said bar at right angles to said rod.

3. The invention as described in claim 2, wherein means is provided for tensioning said bar and said rod to retard the upward motion of said plunger.

4. A device of the character described comprising a vertical pin ball machine plunger, a knob on said plunger, a rim on said knob, a bracket mounted adjacent said plunger, a control bar pivotally mounted in said bracket at right I angles to said plunger, a control rod pivotally mounted on said bar at one end thereof, at right angles thereto and contacting said rim of said knob on plunger a spring connected to said rod at the opposite contact end thereof and to REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,083,540 Armstrong June 15, 1937 134,125 Brandl Dec. 24, 1872 938,179 Tanner Oct. 26, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 583,177 German Aug. 17, 1933 

